1. Students will be able to explain their opinion of the pros and cons of cloning.
2. Students will work in groups and use current scientific articles to explore their outlook on cloning for various organisms.
3. Students will present their information that they find from the articles provided regarding the cloning of a particular organism.
Description of Assessment:
The students will be assessed throughout the entire class period based on their work with their group. To start, the teacher instructs the class of what is expected of them and passes out group recording sheets and articles. The teacher explains exactly how they will be graded. The grading starts as soon as the group receives their articles! The grading scheme is also outlined at the bottom of their recording sheets. Throughout the class, the teacher will grade them on the following: 30% keeping on task during group work
30% contribute your findings from your reading to your group members
40% participate in the presentation of your work to the class
After the grading criteria is clear, each table is provided with 3-4 articles regarding the cloning of a particular organism. Each table will have a different organism. The organisms are endangered animals, extinct animals, pets, plants, and farm animals. As a group, they must pick a group leader, a task master, a time keeper, and a presentation organizer. They must use the articles to come up with information to answer the questions on the group recording sheet. They must then come up with a presentation to report their findings in an effective way to the class. Teacher walks around and grades the students on staying on task and contributing effectively to their group. With ½ an hour left to the period, the group work is complete and everyone is ready to present. Each group presents their information and the teacher completes the grading sheet by grading their presentation and behavior during their classmate’s presentations. The recording sheets are collected after the presentations.
Recording sheet used by groups:
LS4- Humans are similar to other species in many ways and are unique among Earth's forms.
LS4 (5-8) Using data provided, select evidence that supports the concept that genetic information is passed on from both parents to offspring. LS4 (7-8)-11 Students demonstrate an understanding of human heredity by 11a- recognizing that characteristics of an organism result from inherited traits of one or more genes from the parents and others results from interactions with the environment.
1. Students will complete a 24 question exam consisting of multiple methods of assessment techniques.
Description of Assessment:
The students are formally assessed in this unit in the form of a test. The test covers everything that they learning in the unit on Genetics. The test was made up of different parts, including multiple choice, fill in the blanks, short answer questions, word problems, and an application problem. The test started out with simple recall questions and progressively got more in depth. The purpose of this assessment is to have the students recall information that they have learned throughout the lesson as well as apply their knowledge.
GSEs Addressed:
LS4- Humans are similar to other species in many ways and are unique among Earth's forms.
LS4 (5-8) Using data provided, select evidence that supports the concept that genetic information is passed on from both parents to offspring. LS4 (7-8)-11 Students demonstrate an understanding of human heredity by 11a- recognizing that characteristics of an organism result from inherited traits of one or more genes from the parents and others results from interactions with the environment.
Throughout the class period, I graded the students based on their ability to stay on task, contribute to their group, and come up with an effective presentation. The grading criteria was as follows: 1.) 30, 20, 10, 0 --keeps on task during group work
I walked around the classroom as they worked with their groups and I observed conversations, interactions, and discussions that were taking place. Each student started the class as receiving a 30 in this category. Each time I heard a student move significantly off task, I would move there grade in this category down to a 20. I would pay attention to whether it was the entire group getting off task or if it was one student distracting the rest of the group. Each student was aware of the fact that they were going to be graded individually and were encouraged to assist with all group work and keep on task throughout the class.
2.) 30, 20, 10, 0 --contributes your findings from reading to group members
As I observed the groups working together, I was able to see who was contributing to the information that was being recorded on their final recording sheet. I observed who was reading articles and highlighting information, who was sharing their ideas, and who was contributing to the discussion. If I noticed that a student read but did not contribute any findings, I would mark her/ his grade down. If they did not read or contribute findings, I would mark them down again. Students were again being observed throughout the class period and their grade in this category started at a 30.
Throughout their work in groups, I graded each student in these first two categories. The final category was graded during the presentation of the final product be each group.
3.) 40, 30, 20, 10, 0 -- participates in the presentation of work to the class
The final criteria for grading was the presentation. Each group member had to participate in the presentation in some way. At the start of the group presentation, each group member had a 40 in this category. If there was no eye contact during their contributes to the presentation, they would be marked down to a 30. If they contributed very little and it was clear that they did not pre-read the information before the presentation, they would then be marked down accordingly. If they did not participate in the presentation at all, they would receive a 0 in this category.
There grade from each of the three criteria was added up and the total grade was counted as a quiz grade for this in class assignment. They received their grading sheet and a copy of their recording sheet back with brief feedback based on their work.
Multiple Choice: Each question was worth 3 points. These were right or wrong questions that involved the student recalling information.
Fill in the blanks: Each question was worth 3 points. The students were not given a word bank for these questions are were required to generate their own words that best fit.
Short Answer: The answers needed to be in complete sentences or the student was marked down one point. Partial credit was given if there were multiple parts to the question and the student got part of it correct.
Word Problems: Each word problem was worth 7 points. The students received 4 points for showing their work and 3 points for answering the specific question that was asked. Students lost one point for not putting their final answer in complete sentences.
Application Questions: Students were required to combine the two alleles to form an offspring. Using a chart, they had to determine the genotype and phenotype of the offspring. They were then asked to draw and label the offspring based on the information that they had generated. Matching the letters together was worth 1 point, putting the genotype and phenotype under the correct columns was worth 10 points, drawing the offspring with accurate features was worth 3 points, and labeling the offspring was worth 2 points.
IV. Analysis
A. Description of Class Context
Informal Assessment Context:
This is the last lesson in the Genetics Unit. The students have background knowledge of how traits are inherited through generations and they have an understanding of dominant and recessive traits. The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the idea of cloning, explain how it is done, and have the student participate in an inquiry activity where they decide whether or not certain organisms should be cloned. This concluding lesson will tie in a real life aspect to the unit and bring fourth some current events that tie in to what they have learned.
Lesson Plan for Informal Assessment:
The formal assessment was given at the conclusion of a three week long unit on Genetics. It was meant as a culminating assessment, addressing every topic that was covered in the unit and allowing the students to demonstrate their understanding of the material in various ways. For students who needed adaptations, there was extra time offered, word banks given, and verbal explanations of the requirements upon request. Throughout the unit, the students were assessed in various ways, and this cumulative assessment was the written final test of the Genetics unit.
B. Analysis of Informal Assessment
Student Work Samples and Examples of Teacher Feedback:
Student work: The examples of student work show the final product that the groups handed in at the conclusion of the class period. The group presented their findings in front of the class at the end of the period, which was part of their final grade for the activity.
Feedback: In order for me to provide feedback to the individual students, I gave them each a small printout with their grade, which I got from observations throughout the class period and their group presentations. I graded each student individually, based on the criteria discussed and clearly stated to the students at the beginning of the class. I provided individual feedback on their grading sheets and gave this back to the students with a photocopy of their group work sheet. When providing feedback, I made sure to indicate why the students may have lost points. Common errors were lack of eye contact during presentation and students who did not stay on task for the entire period. Feedback was also meant to be constructive, for students to benefit for their future knowledge. For example, I made note of the students who kept their group on task, commenting on their ability to influence their peers. I also noted the difference between reporting the scientific findings of the articles versus reporting their own opinions of the topics. The feedback was meant to be constructive as well as informative for the students.
The grade breakdown shows the final grades for this activity for my E period class, which consists of 11 females and 8 males for a total of 19 students who participated in this in-class activity. The overall average grade was 81.5%, and the grades ranged from 100% to 30%. I split up the class into girls and boys, to compare the results. The girls averages a 92.7% on this assessment, while the boys averaged a 66.25%. The girls showed significantly higher scores on this activity. Looking back on the scoring of the assessment, points are earned for participation, staying on task, and presenting the material. It seems that the groups that worked well together all received high scores. Those groups that did not work well together either split up the work and brought it all together in their presentation, or were off task. Those students who were off task for the continued assessment throughout the period lost points because of this and their grades reflected this lack of effort. The students in this particular class who were more likely to get off task were the boys. This clearly showed in their below average grades. Overall, the class average was a low B and the student grades range from a high of 100% to a low of 30%.
The grade breakdown shows the tests grades for my A period class, which consisted of 8 boys and 12 girls for a total of 20 students completing the test. The overall average on the assessment was a 77.7%, indicated by the first bar scene on the graph. Splitting up the data into girls and boys scores allowed me to compare the results of how each did on the test. The girls had an average score of 81.3%, which is above the overall class average. The boys had an average score of 72.25%, which is below the class average. There are less boys in this particular class, which could contribute to the low average. The one student who received a perfect score on this test is a male and the three lowest scores in the class are also males. This shows that the males had a broader range of scores, which could have contributed to their low average. Overall, the class average was in the high C range, and students ranged from a high of 100% to a low of 39%.
V. Commentary / Reflection
A. Reflections from Informal Assessment
Overall, I think that my informal assessment was a good way to relate the material in the Genetics unit to a topic that the students felt invested in and had a strong opinion for. The majority of the students were engaged in the activity and really put forth the effort required to complete this assessment. They were taking part in very interesting conversation, debating the issues, and backing up their opinion with facts that they were pulling from the articles. I think that the students might have benefited by self-assessing themselves. They could have graded their own participation at the end of the period and justified the grade that they though that they deserved. As an activity that only took one class period, I feel that it was successful in engaging the students interest and applying their knowledge.
To improve on this lesson, I would make the final product something that was more high stakes for the students. If they, for example, had to record themselves and send it to a scientist who was cloning certain animals, it would show that these debates are taking place right now and that the students can have a voice. Other ideas might be to put together an opinion article to be published in the school newspaper, to make a commercial that will be aired on the next team night, or to present a skit in front of the parents and have them vote on the most persuasive act. By putting the students in a situation where they feel that they must perform to the best of their ability, it would provide a higher stake and more personal investment into the project.
B. Reflections from Formal Assessment
I think that for a final unit test, this exam was successful in covering all of the material. The students had a full review period before the test day, which involved filling out a graphic organizer to help them study the main ideas on the test. The format was effective in that it included a wide range of testing methods, including multiple choice, fill in the blanks, word problems, and application problems. I think that the final unit exam was an effective method of assessment to formally evaluation the performance of my students.
VI. Conclusions
In conclusion, both the informal as well as the formal assessment gave me an idea of the material that my students were retaining. With my informal assessment, there were several observations that I was able to make where I could observe the learning goals being met. Throughout their group work, I could overhear the students explaining their own views on cloning and backing it up with evidence from the articles that they were reading. I participated in some discussion with groups where I was able to bring up some topics to provoke further discussion and debate within the group. Finally, the groups culminated their ideas together in a final brief presentation to their classmates, where I observed both their ability to come together as a group as well as their oral presentation skills. With the formal assessment, the students showed their knowledge through the completion of an exam that consisted of multiple parts with various testing methods. I observed their learning through their performance on this test. Both forms of assessment gave me a good idea of what material was being retained by my students.
Formal and Informal Assessment of Student Learning
Name: Beth McArdle
I. Assignment Description/Requirements
Formal Informal Assessments 2009
II. Description of Learning Goals
A. Informal Assessment
Learning goals:
1. Students will be able to explain their opinion of the pros and cons of cloning.2. Students will work in groups and use current scientific articles to explore their outlook on cloning for various organisms.
3. Students will present their information that they find from the articles provided regarding the cloning of a particular organism.
Description of Assessment:
The students will be assessed throughout the entire class period based on their work with their group. To start, the teacher instructs the class of what is expected of them and passes out group recording sheets and articles. The teacher explains exactly how they will be graded. The grading starts as soon as the group receives their articles! The grading scheme is also outlined at the bottom of their recording sheets. Throughout the class, the teacher will grade them on the following:30% keeping on task during group work
30% contribute your findings from your reading to your group members
40% participate in the presentation of your work to the class
After the grading criteria is clear, each table is provided with 3-4 articles regarding the cloning of a particular organism. Each table will have a different organism. The organisms are endangered animals, extinct animals, pets, plants, and farm animals. As a group, they must pick a group leader, a task master, a time keeper, and a presentation organizer. They must use the articles to come up with information to answer the questions on the group recording sheet. They must then come up with a presentation to report their findings in an effective way to the class. Teacher walks around and grades the students on staying on task and contributing effectively to their group. With ½ an hour left to the period, the group work is complete and everyone is ready to present. Each group presents their information and the teacher completes the grading sheet by grading their presentation and behavior during their classmate’s presentations. The recording sheets are collected after the presentations.
Recording sheet used by groups:
Grading sheet used by teacher throughout the student group work and presentations:
GSEs Addressed:
LS4- Humans are similar to other species in many ways and are unique among Earth's forms.LS4 (5-8) Using data provided, select evidence that supports the concept that genetic information is passed on from both parents to offspring.
LS4 (7-8)-11 Students demonstrate an understanding of human heredity by
11a- recognizing that characteristics of an organism result from inherited traits of one or more genes from the parents and others results from interactions with the environment.
B. Formal Assessment
Genetics Test:
Learning goals:
1. Students will complete a 24 question exam consisting of multiple methods of assessment techniques.Description of Assessment:
The students are formally assessed in this unit in the form of a test. The test covers everything that they learning in the unit on Genetics. The test was made up of different parts, including multiple choice, fill in the blanks, short answer questions, word problems, and an application problem. The test started out with simple recall questions and progressively got more in depth. The purpose of this assessment is to have the students recall information that they have learned throughout the lesson as well as apply their knowledge.GSEs Addressed:
LS4- Humans are similar to other species in many ways and are unique among Earth's forms.LS4 (5-8) Using data provided, select evidence that supports the concept that genetic information is passed on from both parents to offspring.
LS4 (7-8)-11 Students demonstrate an understanding of human heredity by
11a- recognizing that characteristics of an organism result from inherited traits of one or more genes from the parents and others results from interactions with the environment.
III. Assessments
A. Description of Informal Assessment
Criteria Used to Grade:
Throughout the class period, I graded the students based on their ability to stay on task, contribute to their group, and come up with an effective presentation. The grading criteria was as follows:
1.) 30, 20, 10, 0 --keeps on task during group work
I walked around the classroom as they worked with their groups and I observed conversations, interactions, and discussions that were taking place. Each student started the class as receiving a 30 in this category. Each time I heard a student move significantly off task, I would move there grade in this category down to a 20. I would pay attention to whether it was the entire group getting off task or if it was one student distracting the rest of the group. Each student was aware of the fact that they were going to be graded individually and were encouraged to assist with all group work and keep on task throughout the class.
2.) 30, 20, 10, 0 --contributes your findings from reading to group members
As I observed the groups working together, I was able to see who was contributing to the information that was being recorded on their final recording sheet. I observed who was reading articles and highlighting information, who was sharing their ideas, and who was contributing to the discussion. If I noticed that a student read but did not contribute any findings, I would mark her/ his grade down. If they did not read or contribute findings, I would mark them down again. Students were again being observed throughout the class period and their grade in this category started at a 30.
Throughout their work in groups, I graded each student in these first two categories. The final category was graded during the presentation of the final product be each group.
3.) 40, 30, 20, 10, 0 -- participates in the presentation of work to the class
The final criteria for grading was the presentation. Each group member had to participate in the presentation in some way. At the start of the group presentation, each group member had a 40 in this category. If there was no eye contact during their contributes to the presentation, they would be marked down to a 30. If they contributed very little and it was clear that they did not pre-read the information before the presentation, they would then be marked down accordingly. If they did not participate in the presentation at all, they would receive a 0 in this category.
There grade from each of the three criteria was added up and the total grade was counted as a quiz grade for this in class assignment. They received their grading sheet and a copy of their recording sheet back with brief feedback based on their work.
B. Description of Formal Assessment
Criteria Used to Grade:
- Link to Answer Key:
Genetics test Unit Exam Answer Key.doc
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Multiple Choice: Each question was worth 3 points. These were right or wrong questions that involved the student recalling information.Fill in the blanks: Each question was worth 3 points. The students were not given a word bank for these questions are were required to generate their own words that best fit.
Short Answer: The answers needed to be in complete sentences or the student was marked down one point. Partial credit was given if there were multiple parts to the question and the student got part of it correct.
Word Problems: Each word problem was worth 7 points. The students received 4 points for showing their work and 3 points for answering the specific question that was asked. Students lost one point for not putting their final answer in complete sentences.
Application Questions: Students were required to combine the two alleles to form an offspring. Using a chart, they had to determine the genotype and phenotype of the offspring. They were then asked to draw and label the offspring based on the information that they had generated. Matching the letters together was worth 1 point, putting the genotype and phenotype under the correct columns was worth 10 points, drawing the offspring with accurate features was worth 3 points, and labeling the offspring was worth 2 points.
IV. Analysis
A. Description of Class Context
Informal Assessment Context:
This is the last lesson in the Genetics Unit. The students have background knowledge of how traits are inherited through generations and they have an understanding of dominant and recessive traits. The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the idea of cloning, explain how it is done, and have the student participate in an inquiry activity where they decide whether or not certain organisms should be cloned. This concluding lesson will tie in a real life aspect to the unit and bring fourth some current events that tie in to what they have learned.Lesson Plan for Informal Assessment:
Formal Assessment Context:
The formal assessment was given at the conclusion of a three week long unit on Genetics. It was meant as a culminating assessment, addressing every topic that was covered in the unit and allowing the students to demonstrate their understanding of the material in various ways. For students who needed adaptations, there was extra time offered, word banks given, and verbal explanations of the requirements upon request. Throughout the unit, the students were assessed in various ways, and this cumulative assessment was the written final test of the Genetics unit.B. Analysis of Informal Assessment
Student Work Samples and Examples of Teacher Feedback:Student work: The examples of student work show the final product that the groups handed in at the conclusion of the class period. The group presented their findings in front of the class at the end of the period, which was part of their final grade for the activity.
Feedback: In order for me to provide feedback to the individual students, I gave them each a small printout with their grade, which I got from observations throughout the class period and their group presentations. I graded each student individually, based on the criteria discussed and clearly stated to the students at the beginning of the class. I provided individual feedback on their grading sheets and gave this back to the students with a photocopy of their group work sheet. When providing feedback, I made sure to indicate why the students may have lost points. Common errors were lack of eye contact during presentation and students who did not stay on task for the entire period. Feedback was also meant to be constructive, for students to benefit for their future knowledge. For example, I made note of the students who kept their group on task, commenting on their ability to influence their peers. I also noted the difference between reporting the scientific findings of the articles versus reporting their own opinions of the topics. The feedback was meant to be constructive as well as informative for the students.
Grade Breakdown:
The grade breakdown shows the final grades for this activity for my E period class, which consists of 11 females and 8 males for a total of 19 students who participated in this in-class activity. The overall average grade was 81.5%, and the grades ranged from 100% to 30%. I split up the class into girls and boys, to compare the results. The girls averages a 92.7% on this assessment, while the boys averaged a 66.25%. The girls showed significantly higher scores on this activity. Looking back on the scoring of the assessment, points are earned for participation, staying on task, and presenting the material. It seems that the groups that worked well together all received high scores. Those groups that did not work well together either split up the work and brought it all together in their presentation, or were off task. Those students who were off task for the continued assessment throughout the period lost points because of this and their grades reflected this lack of effort. The students in this particular class who were more likely to get off task were the boys. This clearly showed in their below average grades. Overall, the class average was a low B and the student grades range from a high of 100% to a low of 30%.
C. Analysis of Formal Assessment
Grade Breakdown:The grade breakdown shows the tests grades for my A period class, which consisted of 8 boys and 12 girls for a total of 20 students completing the test. The overall average on the assessment was a 77.7%, indicated by the first bar scene on the graph. Splitting up the data into girls and boys scores allowed me to compare the results of how each did on the test. The girls had an average score of 81.3%, which is above the overall class average. The boys had an average score of 72.25%, which is below the class average. There are less boys in this particular class, which could contribute to the low average. The one student who received a perfect score on this test is a male and the three lowest scores in the class are also males. This shows that the males had a broader range of scores, which could have contributed to their low average. Overall, the class average was in the high C range, and students ranged from a high of 100% to a low of 39%.
V. Commentary / Reflection
A. Reflections from Informal Assessment
Overall, I think that my informal assessment was a good way to relate the material in the Genetics unit to a topic that the students felt invested in and had a strong opinion for. The majority of the students were engaged in the activity and really put forth the effort required to complete this assessment. They were taking part in very interesting conversation, debating the issues, and backing up their opinion with facts that they were pulling from the articles. I think that the students might have benefited by self-assessing themselves. They could have graded their own participation at the end of the period and justified the grade that they though that they deserved. As an activity that only took one class period, I feel that it was successful in engaging the students interest and applying their knowledge.To improve on this lesson, I would make the final product something that was more high stakes for the students. If they, for example, had to record themselves and send it to a scientist who was cloning certain animals, it would show that these debates are taking place right now and that the students can have a voice. Other ideas might be to put together an opinion article to be published in the school newspaper, to make a commercial that will be aired on the next team night, or to present a skit in front of the parents and have them vote on the most persuasive act. By putting the students in a situation where they feel that they must perform to the best of their ability, it would provide a higher stake and more personal investment into the project.
B. Reflections from Formal Assessment
I think that for a final unit test, this exam was successful in covering all of the material. The students had a full review period before the test day, which involved filling out a graphic organizer to help them study the main ideas on the test. The format was effective in that it included a wide range of testing methods, including multiple choice, fill in the blanks, word problems, and application problems. I think that the final unit exam was an effective method of assessment to formally evaluation the performance of my students.VI. Conclusions
In conclusion, both the informal as well as the formal assessment gave me an idea of the material that my students were retaining. With my informal assessment, there were several observations that I was able to make where I could observe the learning goals being met. Throughout their group work, I could overhear the students explaining their own views on cloning and backing it up with evidence from the articles that they were reading. I participated in some discussion with groups where I was able to bring up some topics to provoke further discussion and debate within the group. Finally, the groups culminated their ideas together in a final brief presentation to their classmates, where I observed both their ability to come together as a group as well as their oral presentation skills. With the formal assessment, the students showed their knowledge through the completion of an exam that consisted of multiple parts with various testing methods. I observed their learning through their performance on this test. Both forms of assessment gave me a good idea of what material was being retained by my students.